Thread: Best dual battery setup for winching...

Originally Posted by McDisco

I have been thinking about what dual battery setup I would use on my project rangie (when I ever get it - but good planning is essential huh) and was wondering what would be the best setup/system for winching.

The rangie would really only be a tough day trip/weekend vehicle and not a tourer. I may have a fridge and need to run some accessories, but the second battery would be mainly used for running the winch and radio.

For those that are more electrically inclined than me, are there any types of system that are better, which battery type is better and is there any benefit in fitting a circuit breaker type switch to the winch?

Also, what are the benefits of 12v vs 24v? You can run 24v by just linking two batteries..is that right?

Cheers

Angus

G'day Angus.
Just fitted a Redarc solenoid to mine.
Have a look here at the different set ups,
REDARC supply power conversion products to the global trucking and automotive markets

I only whinch of the start bat. with the motor runing.(was set this way).Advantage is if motor stalls for any reason I can always jump start off the aux. batt.(done once, hard to roll start an auto).

You will get a more current to the winch off a 2 batt. system.
The SES only used the start batt. but we never turned them off in the bush as lots of radios ect..
It all depends on how hard the winch has to work. Check to see what the compitition guys do also.

Cheers Kyle.

Here’s one way to set up for winching.

Or just parrallell the two batteries.
And use a voltmeter if you are running the fridge for longer than a 36 hours?

For the job you are asking why the need to seperate the batteries?

S

Just doing some dredging.........

How would this wiring diagram differ if there were batteries in a trailer requiring charge?

Originally Posted by up2nogood

Just doing some dredging.........

How would this wiring diagram differ if there were batteries in a trailer requiring charge?

G'day,
I would wire the trailer off the aux. batt..
You could use aouther controler but it might be over kill.
If you don't your aux. and trailer batts. will/should charge to the same level.
The lower charged one will darw the outher down untill voltages are close.
UNPLUG the trailer plug if winching. Outherwise it will draw off the trailer too.

There may be some better ideas out there as I'm not up to date with the latest gadgets.

Keep an eye on this thread also, treat the 3rd batt. as your trailer...Third Battery


Cheers.

Originally Posted by alien d2

G'day Angus.
Just fitted a Redarc solenoid to mine.
Have a look here at the different set ups,
REDARC supply power conversion products to the global trucking and automotive markets

I only whinch of the start bat. with the motor runing.(was set this way).Advantage is if motor stalls for any reason I can always jump start off the aux. batt.(done once, hard to roll start an auto).

You will get a more current to the winch off a 2 batt. system.
The SES only used the start batt. but we never turned them off in the bush as lots of radios ect..
It all depends on how hard the winch has to work. Check to see what the compitition guys do also.



Cheers Kyle.

Kyle,
If you winch off the aux battery and your motor stalls you can restart off your starting battery without jumper leads.

Everyone has different ideas on this but for me I leave the starting battery for what it is there for, starting the car. I run everything else off the aux battery, this is why you have it and if things go astray you can always start the car.

I have been running my winch off aux batterys for 12 odd years and never had any problems, at the same time knowing I could always start the car.

Dave.

Winching off the starting battery, with the motor running is by far the best set up because the cable distance from the alternator to the winch is at it’s shortest so the voltage drop is less and the winch will run better.

Best practice for winching is motor kept on high idle at all times.

Operate winch for 60 seconds then rest for 90 seconds.

This allows to winch to cool a bit and allows the battery to replace some of the bulk charged used while winching and will then be in a better state of charge for the next 60 seconds of winching.

There is a number of advantages when using the auxiliary battery at the same time while winching.

You have more power available while winching.

Because you are spreading the load over two batteries, you won’t be discharging two batteries as low as you have too when only using one battery.

You can charge two batteries at the same time so you are replacing twice as much used power during the 90 seconds of rest time.

Because you spread the load over two batteries, this means you don’t take two batteries as low as one battery needs to be taken, therefore you will bring the two batteries to a much higher state of charge during the 90 second rest time, which means you have far more power available during each 60 second winch cycle.

If you intend to use your auxiliary battery during winching, you need to fit a cranking type battery as your auxiliary battery.

I personally would not both trying to use house batteries ( in a caravan or camper trailer ) to assist while winching because you need to run huge cables back to the house batteries or you will only get a few amps of assistance while winching and again, you would also need to fit cranking type batteries as house batteries.

One last point, by spreading the load over two batteries, it will help extend the operating life of the cranking battery.

Gotcha!

As for the Traxide diagram above, there is no charge wire going to the trailer though.

What's the diagram for this, leaving in the marine switch as it's pictured?

So I need to wire as in the diagram for the winch and charge controller, but I also want to run a charge to the trailer. I do not want the trailer batteries to connect to the car for current draw.